Unused Retail Space in St. Mary's

[sleuth]

Originally posted by Chrystee
I don't get where the prices are so high? The quality is SO MUCH better than FL.. If you have the bonus card, you get excellent deals! I also heard that they take ALL coupons, and double them.

Last time I went to Giant, I paid $4.00 for a package of frozen broccoli and cauliflower medley. Seems to me in most places I get that for $2.00 or less.

Just one of many examples.

 

[crabcake]

Originally posted by sleuth14
I wish they had access from the parking lot to the stores along 235 though (Verizon Wireless, Quiznos, etc.) It's a pain in the arse to go there if you're coming from the other direction, and if they'd just connect a couple parking lots I could go in through the main entrance and approach Starbucks from the back...

we just park in the Lowes lot behind Starbucks.

 

[SamSpade]

Originally posted by sleuth14
I wish they had access from the parking lot to the stores along 235 though (Verizon Wireless, Quiznos, etc.) It's a pain in the arse to go there if you're coming from the other direction, and if they'd just connect a couple parking lots I could go in through the main entrance and approach Starbucks from the back...

Well, me too, but you KNOW what would happen - people would cruise right through those lots to get to Lowes. Eventually, *delivery* trucks would take the shortcut.

 

[Toxick]

Originally posted by SamSpade
Well, me too, but you KNOW what would happen - people would cruise right through those lots to get to Lowes. Eventually, *delivery* trucks would take the shortcut.

And this is a bad thing?

Maybe if it was so easy to get to Lowes through a shortcut, they should consider putting an official - non-bad - ingress point where the shortcut is? Or at some other place that's similarly easy to get to Lowes through.

 

[Chrystee]

Originally posted by SamSpade
Well, me too, but you KNOW what would happen - people would cruise right through those lots to get to Lowes. Eventually, *delivery* trucks would take the shortcut.

They could at least put a sidewalk!

 

[SamSpade]

Originally posted by Toxick
And this is a bad thing?

YES.

Considering the considerable traffic in and out of that area, imagine peacefully whistling towards Starbucks, anticipating a nice frothy cappucino - and around the corner on two wheels is a double axled pickup zooming through the parking lot.

Ok, a little hyperbole. But I've seen gas stations on busy corners become drive-thru lots, and in rush hour traffic, it becomes dangerous just to go buy GAS. I'm all for making things convenient, but I understand people's willful ability to be stupid, if they really apply themselves.

 

[Toxick]

Originally posted by SamSpade
YES.

Considering the considerable traffic in and out of that area, imagine peacefully whistling towards Starbucks, anticipating a nice frothy cappucino - and around the corner on two wheels is a double axled pickup zooming through the parking lot.

I'm talking about cutting through - not dangerously careening through with any thought of safety tossed casually into the wind.

Maybe that's what would happen, but that's an entirely different issue - at which my opinion is that drivers like that should be castrated, and hobbled.



My point was this: If getting to a store is such a pain in the ass that a convenience opening between two stores becomes the primary mode of in/egress, then perhaps they should re-think their configuration.

 

[SamSpade]

Originally posted by Toxick

My point was this: If getting to a store is such a pain in the ass that a convenience opening between two stores becomes the primary mode of in/egress, then perhaps they should re-think their configuration.

I never expect that people actually THINK before they do colossally stupid things. You're expecting a bit much. I used to live on a corner in the ranch club, and kids would take a "short cut" through my back yard diagonally, if you can picture it. Problem is, there were trees and rocks impeding any normal progress through that area, and I'm sure if I *timed* it on a stop watch, it'd be TWICE as long. Didn't stop kids from taking the "short cut", and I had bike tire ruts in the mud to show for it.

Bottom line - never underestimate how stupid people can be, if they intend to. You and I both know it would be inconvenient, slower and more cumbersome, but some dumb schmuck would think "yeah but it is SHORTER" and do it anyway.

You really CAN'T get more convenient than a four lane road with a traffic light, but I know people will do it.

 

[Toxick]

Originally posted by SamSpade
You really CAN'T get more convenient than a four lane road with a traffic light, but I know people will do it.

I agree. I have absolutely no beef whatsoever when it comes to getting in and out of First Colony. In fact, it's one of the few areas along that little slice of Dante's vision of hell - called Rt 235 - that I think is done well.

But keeping proximate parking lots - particulary when there are popular establishments in each - separate seems needlessly restrictive to me.

 

[sleuth]

Wouldn't conjoining some of those parking lots be a lot safer than having people pull U-turns at 235 & Rt 4 to go to Starbucks?

 

[dustin]

A bit off topic. But does anyone know what a small size retail store in one of those shopping centers would cost to lease? And also, would someone be able to reside in said retail store as a home? Or are there some type of zone restrictions?

I was wondering what the cost comparison is of a retail lease is as compared to an equally sized apartment in the area....considering the lack of housing here....

 

[Nickel]

Originally posted by dustin
A bit off topic. But does anyone know what a small size retail store in one of those shopping centers would cost to lease? And also, would someone be able to reside in said retail store as a home? Or are there some type of zone restrictions?

I was wondering what the cost comparison is of a retail lease is as compared to an equally sized apartment in the area....considering the lack of housing here....

You can't reside in a commercially zoned building. Sorry bout your luck

 

[dustin]

Originally posted by Nickel
You can't reside in a commercially zoned building. Sorry bout your luck

Is that because most owners don't agree to it or because of a state/fed law?

 

[pilot]

Originally posted by SamSpade
What it REALLY could use is a damned MALL instead of endless little shopping centers

I couldn't agree more. Over the weekend a friend and I drove to Annapolis to do some shopping there. The mall parking lot was so crowded that people were parked illegally. All the good illegal spots were taken up. We had no choice but to turn around and drive all the way back to St. Mary's.

I think it's time to build a new mall!

 

[Nickel]

Originally posted by dustin
Is that because most owners don't agree to it or because of a state/fed law?

i'm pretty sure it's a law, otherwise I would've moved in next to Ollie's a long time ago....

 

[dustin]

Originally posted by Nickel
i'm pretty sure it's a law, otherwise I would've moved in next to Ollie's a long time ago....

Ollie the crazy old coot who lives in refrigerator cardboard boxes next to the Burger King and collects dead rat carcasses?

I don't think that's a good idea. He might have a cold or somethin'...

 

[Nickel]

Originally posted by dustin
Ollie the crazy old coot who lives in refrigerator cardboard boxes next to the Burger King and collects dead rat carcasses?

I don't think that's a good idea. He might have a cold or somethin'...

You have a cold, is Ollie your street name?

 

[dustin]

Originally posted by Nickel
You have a cold, is Ollie your street name?

Only if you want it to be

 

[Nickel]

Originally posted by dustin
Only if you want it to be

I thought you were Peter Piper

 

[BuddyLee]

Originally posted by SamSpade
What it REALLY could use is a damned MALL instead of endless little shopping centers. I know it's been discussed many times here, but one of the great things about a mall is, small businesses flourish there. A store like Spencer's only flourishes there, because almost nobody would drive up to one if it *wasn't* in a mall.

Same thing for all of the small vendors in a mall. Would you buy an Orange Julius? Would you still do it, if you had to make a special trip, without a mall to do it in? How about a store for sunglasses, or that Chesapeake Knife and whatever store? Malls HELP businesses a lot. WHY won't they build one?

I think ive said that we needed a mall down here before and I was soon dealt with by the St. Marys land lover posters.